1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to caskets, and more particularly but not by way of limitation, to a cultured marble casket and method for producing same.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Caskets have long been known and used in burial of deceased persons. Generally, such caskets are fabricated of stamped metal, crafted wood, or fiberglass. In the fabrication of the stamped metal caskets the metal dyes employed are heavy, and require bulky machinery. Thus, the cost of fabrication of stamped metal caskets is often excessively expensive. Further, caskets fabricated of stamped metal are subject to rust and subsequent deterioration.
Crafted wood caskets are fabricated of glued hardwoods and their fabrication requires specialized wood-shaping equipment and highly skilled craftsmen, thus making the fabrication of such caskets labor intensive. Wood caskets are also subject to deterioration because of moisture absorption and deterioration of the adhesive employed in the fabrication of such caskets.
Caskets fabricated of fiberglass overcome some of the before-mentioned problems of the stamped metal and crafted wood caskets. Fiberglass caskets are commonly fabricated using a sandable polyester resin so that the casket can be painted to the desired color. Problems, however, often arise in the fabrication of fiberglass caskets because air voids frequently occur between the polyester resin and fiberglass reinforcement. Such air voids result in a casket of inferior quality and require post-production repairs of the product prior to painting.
Caskets fabricated of stamped metal, crafted wood and fiberglass each require that the casket be sanded, primed and post-painted after the casket has been fabricated. Because of the chemical dissimilarity of the materials used to fabricate and post-finish caskets of stamped metal, crafted wood and fiberglass, problems have heretofore been encountered in chemically bonding a substrate to the exterior surface of such caskets which could alter the aesthetic appearance of the casket.
Because of the aforementioned problems in the fabrication and deterioration of the prior art caskets, the need has remained for improving caskets, as well as improved methods for producing caskets which overcome the inherent defects encountered by the selection of the materials employed in the fabrication of the caskets. It would be highly desirable if a light weight casket could be fabricated of cultured marble which would be economical to produce without sacrificing the desired aesthetic qualities that such a casket would possess. Further, such a casket would be substantially resistant to deterioration. It is to such a casket and method for producing same that the present invention is directed.